The Washington critic., 1887-06-02
A RUNAWAY TRAIN.

There Is a story in the June Wide
A,rake Of boy, the fifteen year old son
Of a locomotive engineer, who had Of
ten ridden with his father and "knew
the engine pooty we'll" Indeed the
engineer had frequently let the boy
"drive" on a long stretch Of straight
track.
One night he left Dave in charge of
the engine on siding, while he went
10 supper as usual. There came up
furious wind; and. after little, some
cars shot by without any engine. The
wind had started them. Boy, think
quick Down grade The Lightning
Express Is to come that way
Nobody near. No telegraph wire.
The trains are headed together. There
Is less than an hour to catch those run.
away cars and pull them out Of the
way. No time for hesitation He
springs to the lever, picks up speed and
steam like whizzing arrow.
They are miles ahead. The rushing
minutes are full Of sudden compre.
hepsion. He almost sees through the
dark, tempestuous night. What set
him flying toward this plunge was
thought Of the Lightning Express.
Now danger takes hold of him.
What II he Is Just too late The run.
away train Is in sight OF steam
No, on again Let the story. teller tell
the rest.
He must slow up, but do It so nicely
that when he does come up with them
there shall be the least possible shock
for here is the hardest part of the busi-
ness. He has nobody to help him
couple" He must be, for the nonce,
both engineer and switchman. He had
not thought what formidable Job this
was until 1t stared him In the face.
On he flew, revolving the situation in
his head and adjusting his engine with
the incest care until he was upon the
very heels of the runaway; then, with
many misgivings, slipped out Of the
engine house and crawled along the
side of the locomotive and down on the
"cow.catcher.
Here, selling the long coupler In one
hand and holding on with the other,
he stood watching with breathless In.
terest the approaching collision. The
suspense was agonizlng. The situation
was perilous. A gust of wind might
sweep him from his place; he might be
shaken of or crushed.
He was almost panic stricken. A
dozen times he was at the point of turn
ing back. To his startled ears the air
was full of uncanny sounds-the sweep
of another tornado, the rush of the
Lightning" just ahead. But he had
In him the stuff which heroes ore made
Of. The hero, remember, Is not he who
Is insensible to danger, but rather he
who feels and realizes, but yet over.
comes 1t.
The Meteor" drew nearer and
nearer the flying train. Dave had
used excellent judgment in regulating
Its speed; for at length 1t came up with
the rear car with scarcely shock, so
that Dave could reach over and drop
In the pin.
Then clambering back into the en-.
gine.house with trembling eagerncss he
seized the throttle" To his amaze.
ment the train did not stop. Instead of
the "Meteor's" stopping the runaway,
the run away dragged the Meteor"
along in its headlong flight. Dave vas
horror-struck. He had thought the
train would stop at once. He had not
calculated what tremendous impetus
all those heavy cars had acquired.
Now, then, the tussle! The train be-
gan to slow up. 1t came to a stand.
still. Then the backward pull. Slowly
they got under way; but the wind and
up grade were against them.
Dave began to get anxious. "The
Lightning" must be due by this time.
He kept a sharp look. out behind and
whistled like mad around the curves.
At length he entered upon the long,
straight, level line Of road which ex.
tended clear to Blankton. Dave
breathed freer. 1t was the home.
stretch-a good ten.mile run.
Hardly had he congratulated him
self, when far behind-but unmistak
ably-he heard the scream of Light
niDg's" whistle. He was going al.
ready at his topmost speed. He wa'
making not more than thirty.flve mile
an hour, while the Lightning" was
coming on at the rate of sixty. With
horror he heard 1t gaining on him; the
next whistle was nearer, and at length
when he had made only two thirds the
distance the CLEAN of Its headlight
came shooting round wooded curve
In his rear.
Out of the very despair of the mo-.
ment Dave gathered calmuess. He
turned his back on the pursuing train,
he cast no look behind he shut his ears
10 Its on coming roar; looked straight
ahead, kept his eye on the track, his
mind on his duty
He is almost ihere-he Is there, he
tashes past the station house, across
the switch and down at last upon the
side track
Itis all right Jake and jim are
there. They have thrown the switch
back In time; and the lightning" goes
wbizzing and shrieking past.
When Jake jumped aboard the
"Meteor," his son tainted dead away in
hiu urfnc